Supreme Court bans Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's Supreme Court has banned the Jehovah's
Witnesses from operating in the country, accepting a request from
the justice ministry that the religious organization be
considered an extremist group.

The court ordered the closure of the group's Russia headquarters
and its 395 local chapters, as well as the seizure of its
property.

The Interfax news agency on Thursday quoted Justice Ministry
attorney Svetlana Borisova in court as saying that the Jehovah's
Witnesses "pose a threat to the rights of the citizens, public
order and public security."

The Jehovah's Witnesses claim more than 170,000 adherents in
Russia. The group has come under increasing pressure over the
past year, including a ban on distributing literature deemed to
violate Russia's anti-extremism laws.

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Supreme Court bans Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's Supreme Court has banned the Jehovah's Witnesses from operating in the country, accepting a request from the justice ministry that the religious organization be considered an extremist group.